Through Sorrow and Power
by Kiwicola
Summary: Song led a happy life, with her people and her family. When a new dimension brings havoc to harmony, her life is thrown apart. Those she loves are dead, and when someone else hops into her life, it's all Song can do to prevent herself from falling in love. Because if she does, he too will face the consequences. They'll make sure of it. Rated T for romance! Please read & review! :3
1. Introduction

A/N Hello, my new FanFiction readers! This is *drumroll please* My very first fanfic! I say because I have written before, but I am fairly new with the format and uploading of the site. Because of this, I do ask that you are patient with any glitch I encounter.

To be brutally honest, this FanFiction is for a school project. My teacher said we can do whatever project we want, in any medium, as long as we document our progress. Well, here I am! Since this is a school project (and yes, it is graded), I guarantee upmost quality and this FanFiction will not be abandoned. I'm hoping to have this done by November, since that's when it's due, but I will be okay if it's not finished by then. I will continue though!

Please enjoy this story!

P.S. There will be an introduction, and two parts to the Prologue. Bear with me! I will get to the good stuff! And also, I accept constructive criticism. If there's anything you can do to help me out with the format, please do help! I'm using Google Docs because I'm on a Chromebook. :)

Introduction

Long ago, there was harmony, beautiful, radiant harmony. This peace occurred in a world different from ours. When this world came into existence, two came out into the light. The first was pure and good, and he ruled the Aether, a heaven in which all kinds of wonderful things lived. Here, the inhabitants used magic, but only for good. Magic was part of their everyday lives, and was necessary for existence. It powered every single being's life force.

These life forces were different for everyone. In those who lived in the Aether, it kept them running no matter what. They couldn't be hurt, and couldn't die. Unless, of course, the life forces were tampered with.

The second one was the opposite. He was evil, full of death and hatred. He watched over a place called the Nether, though those who lived away called this place Hell. Hell was filled with the putrid smell of rotting flesh, and fire burned endlessly. Lava flowed across the land, with not a drop of water in sight. Vicious monsters killed anyone who was dumb enough to enter. The man who ruled over Hell was called Herobrine, and he had no mercy.

Herobrine would be forever jealous of the one and only Notch for his magic was never as powerful as Notch's. Those who resided in the Nether did not respawn, as their life forces were weak and brittle, and so Herobrine had to rely on spawners to replace those who were lost. While Notch had a beautiful home, up in the skies, Herobrine was in a dark cave, with only the pigmen to accompany him.

It was not that Herobrine did not like where he lived. He was rather fond of the ghasts weeping, and the blazes spraying fire everywhere. The darkness of his home was welcoming, and he was very proud of the fact that the Aether residents called it Hell.

Notch and Herobrine each ruled over their respective homes, and for a long time, each was content. But Herobrine did not know of the Overworld. Notch had been working, creating a new place in which he could watch others enjoy the fruits of his labor. The world would be open to those from a place called Earth, and they would have the chance to survive in the elements. By day, it was much like Earth, but by night, it was a whole new story. Monsters such as zombies and spiders came out, determined to hurt whoever dared to come out.

Life forces here were different. You could get hurt and die, but when you died, your life force came back alive. Though your body would reform, and your items never came with you, your soul remained intact, ready to face the world again. At the moment, the only thing left to do was to open up the portal in. But the issue was that the portal never seemed to work properly. It always closed up, and when it did, it was nearly impossible to open again.

Problems like these were sure to be solved, and Notch diligently worked hard on his beautiful creation. He lived happily with his wife, Celeste, and his beautiful daughter, Song. They ruled over their wonderful world. But Herobrine was soon to find out. And when he did, there would be madness.

Well! Hope you enjoyed this little tidbit. I'll do my absolute best to make these longer in the future! Please rate and review (Oh pretty please review! You have no idea how much it'll mean to me!), follow, and tell your friends! Who knows...You might just be thrown into Song's world!

Lots of Love,

Kiwi


	2. Prologue Part One

A/N: Okay, so hello again! Sorry it's been a few days, it was my birthday over the weekend and I was quite busy with a large sleepover. Anyways, the prologue is two parts. However, I will be uploading both at the same time. Thank you for your patience. Oh, and I got views from Canada! I dunno why this makes me so excited, but I really am quite pleased. Thank you, Miss/Mister Canada (And to those of you from good ol' America, to you too!). Onwards, march!

Prologue Part One: A Revelation

A guard sprite ran into the palace hall, dripping with sweat, magic almost depleted from him. He collapsed to the ground, wings drooping with exhaustion. The room fell silent at the new arrival, while the sprite attempted to gain breath. "N-n-notch...the Town Center...Herobrine...help," and the sprite took in some deep breaths.

"What is it, guard, spit it out!" Notch cried.

The guard fluttered up to Notch, bowed, and solemnly said, "Herobrine. He's here. And it's not good." With that, he collapsed again.

Everyone in the room began to cry out in fear, children hugging their parents, scared for the impending doom.

"What!" Notch boomed. "Impossible! I shall see to this at once. In the meantime, send this guard to the infirmary." His calm voice spread out, silencing everyone. "I want my armor, and quickly. If what the guard sprite said is true, everyone should go to their homes and stay out of trouble. I will handle this."

Another sprite brought Notch's armor to him, carefully made by the most skilled of those in the Master Craftsman guild. It shone in the sunlight, and nearly nothing could penetrate it's endless depths. Celeste reached out, ready to follow, but Notch shook his head. "Celeste, you need to stay back and take care of Song. I don't want you fighting if you aren't necessary. Who knows what he'll do."

Song heard this, and frowned. "But Daddy, I have to come! The Aether needs me! C'mon Dad, you've gotta listen to me. This battle could mean do or die."

Notch gave his only daughter a glare, his eyes staring into her striking blue ones. "No. Way. We are leaving, and you are staying. End of story."

And with that, Celeste led her daughter up the stairs into one of the many guard towers of the castle. This one was the most heavily guarded. No one could enter, at least, no one from the Nether. Celeste grabbed some armor for herself on the way up, knowing that if worse came to worst, she'd have to fight to the death.

Notch watched his wife and daughter leave him for a lingering moment, and straightened up. His troops would see his bravery and act like him. He had to stay strong. As he walked, or rather floated out of the palace gates, he knew something was wrong. The booming voice of Herobrine in all his fury called out for Notch. The plants in the town center were dead. People gathered in the center, most likely forced out of their homes. A child whom Notch recognized as the guard's son was held up in the sky, fire burning beneath him. Herobrine was watching Notch, a woman beside him.

"Notch," Herobrine boomed, "How wonderful to see you again."

"Likewise," Notch grumbled, through gritted teeth.

"I see you've noticed the child," Herobrine began. "His life is in the balance."

"As you well know, Herobrine, the people of the Aether are protected by their life forces. Unlike, of course, you and your...Nether army." Herobrine had a large army, built with all of the creatures that lived in the Nether. But the peculiar thing was that around the army was a purple aura.

Herobrine laughed a cruel, cruel laugh. He released the magic that was keeping the poor boy up in the air, and he fell, falling, falling down. As he neared the flames, Notch raised his arm, levitating the child before he fell into the flames. The child was crying now, burns on his skin.

"Oh, you think that will help? You took too long. The child dies." Then, the woman beside Herobrine, who had not said or done anything yet, sprayed a purple ray of pure magic towards Notch. The magic, though powerful, was not enough to kill Notch, and rather knocked the breath out of him.

The child fell down to the ground, where fire engulfed him. His screams pierced the air, and people tried to move forward. However, with another flick of her arm, the woman threw everyone backwards.

"Ahh Dracise, how wonderful you are. So powerful, so graceful.." Herobrine murmured. Dracise just gave him a momentary grin, and then went back to concentrating.

The mother of the child released a deep, mournful sob, her cries echoing through the area. The initial guard came flying in, horrified at what he saw: "No! No! Rune can't be dead! That's impossible! His life force!" But at the continued sobs of his wife, he knew the truth. He buckled down, hugging his wife, and began to cry as well.

Notch was speechless. No one had died in the Aether for millennia, much less a child. "Herobrine...How..How...How could you..How did you accomplish this!"

Herobrine let out a long, mirthless laugh. Dracise smiled. "I'd tell Dracise to kill both of them, but their sorrow seems comforting." Then he looked straight at Notch. "Turns out my little partner has been working on something this entire time, hmm?"

"Well, yes, I have. However, what I have been doing is no business of yours. You had absolutely no right to kill that boy."

"Oh, but Notch, I have been working on something myself. Really, I am quite proud of it. Turns out, this whole time, there has been another evil magic, working tirelessly. Now I have found it, and I will use it to murder those who oppose me! Dracise here is my new wife, and she is so much more powerful than that ugly Celeste of yours. We will conquer you!" cried Herobrine.

"There is no way you will beat my armageddon with those disgusting Nether creatures you have. We will have no choice but to kill all of them. Herobrine, you still have the option of surrender. Please."

"As you have said, my army may be a little weaker. But Dracise has brought me a gift. Could you reveal it, my lovely wife?"

With that, Dracise raised her arms. She morphed, her skin rippling into something much bigger. When she was finished, she had turned into a large dragon, which easily could crush the entire area. The people gasped in fright. Behind her, was an endless army of tall, learn, purple creatures. They were surrounded by a purple aura that nobody had seen before.

"What in the name of Aether is that?" Notch whispered, his eyes widened in fright. Even the guard and his wife had momentarily stopped sobbing, in frightful awe of what was before them. As hundreds of eyes stared at the purple creatures, the creatures began bristling and making high pitched sounds. Dracise waved the things back with her mottled wings, and they stopped bristling.

"These are my endermen. They could kill your petty guards in a moment's notice, Notch. I suggest your people don't look at them directly in their eyes. It makes them, to say the least, aggressive," Dracise said, in a surprisingly deep, melodious voice. At her words, all the people stopped looking.

Herobrine looked at his wife in a jovial tone. His white eyes glowed even brighter. "Oh, Notch, you must be so confused. While you've been playing around with the Real World - Don't give me that look, I've been watching you this whole time - I found a new type of magic. It's been here this whole time. It resides in a place called The End, but don't bother looking for it. It took this long for me to find it, and I doubt you ever will. When I did, I was weak. But Dracise found me, and here we are. Now, with the power of both The End and the Nether, I am much more powerful. Unlike the choice you've given me, I give you no choice. By creating the Overworld, you have started a war."

"This war begins now."

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Prologue Part Two

A/N Hello again, dear readers. I am back, as promised. Now, quick word. Things may get a bit confusing after this chapter, but _I promise_ it will make sense in due time. Thank you again for reading!

Prologue Part Two: The Battle of Loss

For one fleeting moment, the entire area was dead silent. But it was not to last.

Dracise flew up into the air, up into the skies. She watched over the land, and looked at her soon to be victims. With one move, and was spiraling faster and faster, down into the ground. People were screaming, running, trying to get out. When Dracise reached the ground, a ripple of movement sent people flying. With everyone scrambling to run, the endermen saw their cue. They all teleported at once, forming a circle around the sprites. Only the guard and his wife had not moved. The Nether army then took to the skies, spraying fire at the guards that were behind Notch. Others kept teleporting, coming nearer and nearer to the castle. As people died right in front of his eyes, Notch saw the beginning of the end.

As fast as he could possibly fly, Notch headed for the castle. As much as he wanted to help his people, Celeste and Song were what mattered the most. Up in the towers, endermen were scaling the walls. Notch brought out his sword, killing as many as he could. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dracise flying towards him. She concentrated a blast of wind onto him, throwing Notch off.

Notch coughed, blood dribbling out of his mouth. "Why won't you kill me?" Notch screamed. "Take me, don't hurt them, please! I'll do anything, don't.."

Dracise looked at him straight in his eyes. "You have a different purpose. But..." Dracise let out a long, cruel laugh. "I will allow you to see your precious wife die." She formed a purple bubble around Notch, which floated towards the tower. Dracise morphed back into her human form, and climbed up the tower. She effortlessly destroyed the door that separated her and Celeste. In the room, Celeste stood in a defensive stance, her Aether shield by her. Song sat behind her, trembling in fear.

"You will never hurt my daughter!" Celeste cried out.

"That may be true, as I have not been given permission to kill her. However, you are a different story. I've been longing to kill you. You're too perfect. Herobrine can only love me." Dracise walked slowly towards Celeste. Notch continued to scream inside his bubble, but no one could hear him. The bubble allowed him to see what was happening, but his screams were completely contained. Song ran towards her mother, but Dracise threw her back, Song landing on the wall and crumpling up in pain. Notch let out another silent scream.

Finally, Dracise paused, right in front of Celeste. For a moment, there was hope. But then, Dracise's eyes turned hard and cold again. It all seemed to slow down, as the moment of death drew near. Dracise took her hand, magic sparking out of it, and stabbed a ray of deadly magic into Celeste's heart.

"NO!" Notch screamed, and Dracise let go of his bubble. She then flew away, back to Herobrine.

Celeste's life force was draining, slowly, out of her. Notch ran up to her, clutching her hand. Both of them knew that there was no cure to this. Song crawled up to her mother, and kissed her forehead, tears dripping onto her cheeks.

Celeste looked for a moment at Song, then turned to Notch. "My dear Notch," she trembled, "I have loved you since the dawn of time, and I always will. I have only one last request."

Notch nodded his head vigorously. No matter the task, he would complete it.

"Save...Song…" And with that, the last of her life force drained out. Celeste was dead. Tears flowed freely from Notch's eyes. Song was silent, staring into her mother's blank eyes.

"We've got to move, and fast. Let's go, Song." Notch whispered. Song nodded, not wanting to say anything, in fear of breaking apart in sorrow. Just then, a tremble passed through the land, along with a bright beacon in the distance.

"Dang it!" Notch shouted. "Herobrine opened the portal to the Real World! We've got to get to headquarters!" He took ahold of Song's hand, looked one last time at his wife, and flew out into the open air. In the distance, fire raged the land. Headquarters were behind the castle.

In headquarters, it was obvious that Herobrine had done something. He had opened the portal, and there was someone on the Overworld radar. "Someone's gotten in..I had hoped this wouldn't of happened. It's still our only option."

"Daddy, what's going on?" Song needed to know. Her whole world had gone upside down in less than a day.

Notch's eyes were filled with tears. "Song, I love you, and I need you to know that. You need to stay strong. You will conquer this. Your mother would have thought the same. It's all up to you now." He held Song's hands tight, not wanting to let go. "You won't understand now, and you won't for a while. This world, this world is falling apart. I know that you can piece it together. Love you, Song."

Song wanted to scream, to get more answers. How was she supposed to piece the world together if she was already falling apart?

Notch took a lingering look at Song, and the door to headquarters began to fall. Herobrine was attempting to get in. Notch slammed a button, and Song began to feel herself teleport. The last thing she saw was her father, held by Herobrine. Herobrine's white eyes stared into her, and he boomed, "Death awaits those you love, dear Song."

Then she started to fall. Below her were trees, grass, animals. She felt a new sense of vulnerability, as if she could get hurt. Song noticed a girl, falling a few meters away. Her brown hair led down to her waist, and she was wearing jeans and a simple green top. Her eyes met Song's, and Song knew that this was the girl who had gotten in. Song felt Aether magic, too, bubbling inside of her. She raised her arms, and the girl slowed down, reaching the ground safely.

Whatever the Overworld was to bring, it looked like Song would not be beginning the journey alone.

Be back soon with a new chapter in the upcoming days, just for you. Please, please, please rate and review! I 3 reviews!

Love,

Kiwi


	4. Chapter 1

**A/N Hello! I'm finally beginning Song's present story. I really do hope you enjoy. I haven't gotten any reviews yet, so please with a cherry on top review? Be aware that there's going to be a time-skip, and a lot happens there. However, what happens in those years remains a secret until later in the story, because it'll help the plot a whole bunch. So yeah! Now you're all caught up! Enjoy!**

Chapter One: Trying to forget

 _A few years after the prologue_

A nightmare had woken me a few minutes ago. The moon still shone on the land, but it would be impossible to go back to sleep in this state. It had only been half a year since her...Well...The Incident. I relived it every night in my sleep, but it was too painful in consciousness.

The diary from when we were happy lay in the closet, it's contents ruffled over and over. _She_ had given it to me, as a gift on the date of a year past in the Overworld, so we could remember all the great adventures we had. But now I couldn't gather the courage to see it. Oh, how disappointed _she_ 'd be. I can just imagine _her_ scowl, _her_ smile afterwards, the gentle coaxing.

Perhaps when I become stronger, in the future, I could look at it once more. Not today, though.

The sun was beginning to take over the land, and I climbed up onto the roof of my now empty home. A quick spray of magic took care of the zombies attempting to break my iron door. How dumb could a rotting carcass of a human be? Creepers were a little harder to kill, because they could explode at any moment. But a surprise attack always worked. All you had to do was levitate it, and slam it at the hillside. Instant mine. The others just needed to be hit straight on my magic. Except for the endermen, who I left alone, obviously. I hated how they had come to the Overworld.

As the sun crept higher, the villagers began to wake up and tend to their homes. I'd have to do a check on them soon. Johanna and Jondoe had gotten back from their trip to the coast, which had taken a good week. The blacksmith had improved my axe, so I could chop down some more trees. Ritike's son, Aponi, was turning one, and her sister from the other village was arriving today to see her. Plus, the local school's end day ceremony was coming up, in which I'd be expected to make a speech.

So many things to do, but it wasn't like I was running out of time. Just then, Camille meowed from downstairs. I sighed, my moment of peace gone. "Cami, what's up with you? Can't you just wait?" I called, while coming down. Camille was sitting by the kitchen, waiting expectantly for food. I hadn't given her as much love as she probably deserved since the Incident, but at least I fed her.

After feeding her, I got ready for the party of Ritike's sister's arrival. Since it was a celebration, I wouldn't be wearing my regular blue dyed leather armor. Today, I'd be wearing a spring green gradient outfit that stopped at the knee. It was a strapless design, very simple, but it was just my style. No tools today either, as the entire city stopped work early for the party. I'd be bringing a mushroom stew as well, because my magic allowed for a bit of rejuvenation as well. When I walked out the door, the sun greeted me, perking my gloomy spirits. Children were playing outside, probably a game of tag. A little boy, about 5 years old ran up to me, a smile on his little face. "Mummy made a cake today! Its got pineapple ice cream in it!" he cried.

I gave him a big grin and carried him up into the air, twirling him around. "That's great, Yudan! Are you excited for the party?" I asked.

"Oh yes! Mummy told me to ask you to visit today. Please please please come? It's been so long!"

"Okay, but first we've got to deposit my mushroom stew!" I laughed and let him pull me to a house a few blocks away, after dropping the stew off at a neighbor's. Streamers covered the house, bright blue and green. I knocked on the door, but Yudan just opened it and pulled me in. Robert, Yudan's father, greeted me. "Hello, Song! You look lovely today. I assume you've come to see Ritike?"

I nodded, excited. It was great to have a burst of happiness in the village, especially after the Incident.

Robert led me up their stairs, to a little room in the corner. It was the nursery, and was colored a pastel blue. Inside, Ritike had Aponi, on her hip wearing a deep purple baby outfit. Aponi looked just like his older brother, except he had dark brown curls like Ritike. Yudan had blond, wavy hair just like Robert. Both of their eyes were an evergreen shade, and Aponi's eyes looked at me with a twinkle.

"How cute!" I gushed. Aponi really was adorable. Ritike handed him over gently, and I took Aponi gently. His fingers curled around mine, his other, tiny, hand waving rapidly. I felt a rush of affection for him. She would have loved him. Except that she wasn't here. Herobrine's last words to me echoed as a warning in my head. I'd have to be careful not to get too attached to the little one.

I gave him back, and sat down on the little couch by where Ritike was sitting. Yudan was getting restless, so Robert took him to ice some of the cookies for the party later today.

"Well, Ritike, how are you doing?" I asked.

Ritike looked tired, but that was understandable for any mom. "Oh, I'm fine. We went for another check up yesterday at the hospital. The care we experienced was so much more sophisticated than when we had to go to Dr. Paul's house. Plus, he has such a bright future ahead of him with the school, which makes Robert and I so happy. It's all thanks to you and...all."

It was great to hear that our contributions to the village had been helping Ritike and her family, as well as many others. But I couldn't help but notice to hesitation in Ritike's voice. Obviously she was talking about... _her_ , but no one had uttered her name in front of me since the Incident. They probably talked about her when I wasn't there, but that was fine with me. She was such a great individual anyways, who had died too soon.

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying the village's changes. I hope you're not working too hard for the party. I'm sure it'll be a success."

"Yes, yes. I hope everything will be alright. Aponi seems to be growing a little smaller than Yudan was at the checkup, which is slightly worrying. But enough about that, you are coming to greet my sister with me, right Song?"

"Of course! Don't worry about Aponi's size, my mother always said I was a small child when I was young."

Ritike looked momentarily curious, but decided not to ask. I didn't really share my past with the villagers. This was my new life after all.

The moment of silence was broken by a loud knocking, most likely from Yudan. He entered the room, bright and cheerful. "Auntie's coming! The guards spotted her coming through the mountain path, so we'll see her very soon. They've gone to escort her!"

Ritike nearly jumped for joy. "Oh, I can't wait for lil' Lucie to get here. It's been much too long. Last time I saw her was when, well, you know."

Ritike was obviously very excited, and she got up to get ready to go. She was wearing a cute yellow dress, long down to her toes, and a wide strap. It was covered in pink and purple flower designs, and suited her small figure well. Both of us went downstairs, Aponi sleeping in her arms.

I was very excited to see Lucie, as she'd been quite a good friend to.. _her_. It would be the first time I'd seen her since that terrible day, and this time on a much happier note. Could things be turning up?

 **A/N Whew! Please rate and review! I love reviews!**

Love,

Kiwi


	5. Chapter 2

**A/N Hello! Thanks for coming back! It's me, Kiwi! So, here's chapter two. I look forward to hearing what you think! On an extra note, I started screaming in my head when I realized I had gotten views from China and Russia. Thank you! I love you guys! On to the story!**

Chapter Two: Long Time No See

The watchtower horn blew loudly, alerting everyone to our visitor. Yudan was whispering loudly to his friends, and Aponi was giggling, happy at all the attention he was getting. Everyone there was fidgeting, waiting for our guest. I was to make the initial greeting, after the reunion between Ritike and Lucie.

Lucie and Ritike were the only two surviving members of their family. Their father was one of the brave guardsmen who died soon after my arrival, when endermen joined the Overworld. Nobody had known what they were, and a group from all across the land had been called to document and kill these new beasts. It was volunteer only, and Ritike's father had joined. Her mother died of old age, and her younger sister had committed suicide. The loss of her parents, and the fact that her beau had died by endermen as well was too much. Robert, Ritike's husband, served as a father to Lucie at the time. To this day, Lucie and Robert are very close. Ritike's history was very sad, and it made mine seem worthless. Almost.

Today was not the time for me to reminisce on terrible pasts, as it was a wonderful day. Any child's first birthday was a big deal, because before the hospital was constructed, it was hard for a child to live past one. Without medical care, Aponi and so many other children may not have lived to see their first birthdays.

Lucie was coming over the final ridge, and her cart sped down, her brown curls flying everywhere in the wind. No matter how old she got, Lucie would always be a daredevil. "Hey, everyone!" she yelled. Lucie jumped out the cart, a man climbing out to join her.

Ritike couldn't help but run out, Aponi now in Robert's hands. They crashed into each other, tears flowing freely. It was a very sweet thing to watch. After Ritike, Lucie came over to me, tears still in her eyes, but this time for a different reason.

"Oh Song.." she whispered. Lucie then took me into a tight hug, and I wrapped my arms around her. After myself, Lucie had been _her_ closest friend. The hug seemed to end too soon, but it must of lasted for eternity.

Both Lucie and I knew, however, that it was a celebratory day. Any sadness would have to be contained until tomorrow. I turned towards the village, and shouted, "Let's get this party started!"

People cheered and everyone spread out. I watched as children began to pelt each other with water buckets, and as they ate cookies, a treat reserved for a birthday or something of the sorts. Even Ol' Grandpa Turnip seemed to be having a good time, spreading his adventurous stories of being a head guard of the Offense Guild. The children were, as usual, riveted by his stories.

I noticed that Lucie was hanging out a bit more with the same man that she'd climbed out of the cart with, and apparently Ritike did too. "Lucie, who's that man you've been floating around?" Ritike asked.

Lucie giggled and blushed. "I see you've met Conor. Well, I'll be happy to inform you that Conor proposed to me last month, and, I said yes!" She wiggled a diamond ring in front of Lucie's face.

Ritike shrieked in surprise, in shock. Even I didn't expect the news. "Well, it's about time! I'm so happy! You'll have to introduce him to us!"

I nodded my head vigorously. Conor was a tall, lean figure. He wore a plaid red and yellow shirt, and looked like he worked as a guardsmen of the Defense or Watch guilds. Or, perhaps, an Explorer.

Lucie saw me scrutinizing him, and told me, "Conor's part of the Watch guilds. He's working to be the head, as right now he's Assistant. I met him while volunteering for the pets center. We modeled it after the one you've got here. Don't worry, dear Song, you'll be next on the dude list!"

I frowned at Lucie. Boys just weren't my forte. Sure, Ritike's family was beautiful, and Conor looked like he'd suit Lucie well. I, on the other hand, wasn't even sure if I wanted a family, especially after mine was torn apart. Oh, but _she_ had always spoken to me in hushed whispers about the family she used to have back in the Real World, and the family she longed for. Now, she wouldn't get either.

Ritike saw my spirits drooping, and pulled me over. Together, with Lucie in tow, we marched over to Conor. Lucie jumped over to him, and put her head on his shoulder.

"Hello, friends. M'name's Conor, pleased to be of your acquaintance. Lucie and I are very much looking forward to the future."

"Ooh, Lucie, you got a good one!" Ritike joked. Lucie turned beet red.

"Why don't we go have some fun?" I said, and all four of us came into the town square. Yudan was taking part in the water bucket fight, but the snack bar required us to walk through the water. I put my arms out from my side, effectively forming a shield. The kids, as usual, watched in awe as the water just bounced back from the barrier. Even Conor stared at me with his mouth wide open.

"So you're the Song Lucie always speaks about! How amazing!" he gushed.

I gave him a smile, but I didn't like to brag about my abilities. To be honest, at first the villagers were a little wary of my powers. Especially after the endermen massacre, new magic wasn't welcome. But _she_ convinced the villagers that my magic was good, and a few mornings of me murdering zombies and skeletons convinced them.

We got to the snack bar, and I released the shield. Everyone continued chucking water buckets. The table was laden with cookies, cakes, and pies, melons, carrots, baked potatoes, beetroots, and apples. I grabbed an apple and bit into its juicy flesh. All of us were silent for a minute as we devoured our snacks. For Lucie, a cookie, for Ritike, a slice of carrot cake, and for Conor, a baked potato.

"Don't stuff yourselves silly, guys, the ladies and I prepared quite a handsome feast tonight." Ritike said in between bites of her cake.

Lucie grinned, and took another nibble of her cookie. "Well, Conor brought some rabbit foot stew for us. He cooked it himself, I just had to add the seasonings. He's not too great when it comes to that."

Ritike looked at Lucie in a surprised tone. Most women in our village cooked and cleaned, but there were a few on the Guilds, but really only from our village. Once I arrived in the village, some saw the fact that I could fight and farm as a good example to themselves.

"But Lucie, if you're not cooking or cleaning, what are you doing?" Ritike asked.

"Oh, I just kinda sorta...Took over the pet center! I own it now!" she yelled.

I applauded her, genuinely happy that the changes in our village have been positively affecting others. "Oh Lucie, so full of surprises! What's next?" I asked her.

Lucie just laughed. Just then, Yudan came over, attempting to carry Aponi. "Oh, Yudan, you little boy! How have you been?" Lucie asked him, and she took Aponi. She cooed over her nephews, and gave little Yudan a kiss on his forehead.

"Auntie, I missed you!" Yudan told her, pleased at the attention he was getting. As Lucie laughed and started to ask him about school, I took the opportunity to tune out. It was nearly time for dinner and Aponi's cake, and then we'd be partying for quite a while. The children would be off to sleep, and the adults would continue celebrating. I had put up a powerful protection spell that covered a large area. It prevented any hostile mobs from entering or spawning in. The endermen could most likely spawn, but they didn't usually enter crowded places. I would do the spell more often, but it took a lot of my energy and time to complete.

I tuned back in with Ritike asking Lucie something about a rumor she had heard. Apparently, a woman was turned into a zombie villager, after attempting to save her son from the zombies. The son lived, but the woman was held in captivity, as the villagers did not want to kill her.

"Song, is there any chance you could brew up a potion to save her? I heard certain ones can cure it." Lucie asked.

"I could, but it probably wouldn't be as potent as the one you'd normally get from a witch. You should probably go to Hermana, Lucie."

Lucie sighed. Though all of us knew a witch's brew was virtually the only cure to a variety of disasters, nobody enjoyed going to a witch's house, especially Hermana's. Witches were always grumpy, and charged high prices for their brews. If you made a witch mad, you'd often be coming home sick or hurt. There was a witch's hut near our village as well, but after I had arrived here, there was not much use for her. Oh, how _she_ had been such a great potions brewer, after learning, anyways. It looked like we'd have to start using our old witch soon, for emergencies.

Lucie's village didn't have anyone who was decent at potions, so they relied on Hermana. Letters from her village often contained grumbling stories about how the witch was rude who whoever had been assigned the terrible duty of going to Hermana's. Oh well.

Yudan tugged on my dress hem, and loudly said, "It's almost time for dinner, and Auntie's talking to Mummy. Come with me Song! They've got rabbit's foot stew!"

I laughed and carried him up. We walked to a large house not far from the town square, usually used as a meeting place. It was right by the church, and everyone filed in. Inside, the room was filled with lovely aromas. A long table near the middle had plenty of meats, salads, and stews. My mushroom stew was sitting right next to Conor's rabbit foot stew. Near the end were a large array of sweets, much more than what the snack table had contained. In the center was a three tier nautical themed cake, with little buoys and other decorations. Ritike had really outdone herself.

It was nearly time for me to begin the feast, as people were beginning to get hungry. All the children had been cleaned up, and many were in their finest clothes. Ritike and Lucie had gone out, to redo their makeup and do their hair. I went outside, as I wanted to get some fresh air. The birds were beginning to go to sleep, and the animals had quieted down. The air was warm, but the occasional breeze moved the stagnant air. I hadn't practiced a speech. _She_ had always been so much better than me. I figured I might as well say something about Lucie and Aponi, and begin the feast as soon as possible. I stared out into the distance, lost in my thoughts.

"Hey Soooong!" Lucie yelled, making me jump. She giggled and pulled me up. Her chocolaty brown hair was up in a messy bun, little ringlets cascading her face. She looked beautiful, as usual. Conor was waiting by the door, handsome in a tuxedo. She pulled me inside and led me backstage, where Ritike was laughing about something with another one of the ladies.

Ritike saw me come in, and she gave me a kind smile. "You ready sweetie? It's time for you to shine!"

I gave her a brave-ish look. Ritike must've seen my worried face, so she gave me a hug and helped me onstage. The spotlights looked bright, and I wondered how the scientists had managed to create such a beautiful lighting scene.

People began to notice my presence, and the entire village silenced. One drunk-ish man yelled something that I couldn't catch, but he was quickly subdued and taken out of the room by his wife. Many people nervously laughed, and turned their attention back to me.

I was already a bit sweaty, but it wasn't too difficult. Growing up as Notch's child, I'd been under the spotlight quite a bit. I mentally shushed the butterflies in my stomach and stood up tall.

"Welcome, one and all, to this joyous celebration!" I began. "It is my honor to begin this feast, in a time not long after a dreadful series of events. We celebrate not only Aponi's birthday, or Lucie's arrival party, but also the happiness we have been able to conjure." I swallowed, my throat getting dry. Even though everyone had gotten over _her_ death, I probably never would. I croaked out something, and cleared my voice, face turning light pink. "Please welcome our visitor, Lucie Worthston!"

Lucie skipped onto the stage, to a round of thunderous applause. "Well, everyone, thank you so much for your warm welcome of both Conor and me." She blew a kiss towards Conor, who became red in the face. "Now, I know you're all hungry, so let's begin this feast!" she yelled, and everyone cheered.

She yanked me off the stage, and we both grabbed plates. I was hungry, and so I filled up my plate until it wouldn't hold any more.

"Song, how in the world do you stay fit if you eat that much?!" Lucie teasingly asked.

"Well..Must be those Aether genes, huh?" I replied, and we both laughed.

Conor's rabbit foot stew was absolutely scrumptious, and we spent quite a while just talking about how our villages were doing and such. Normal girl gossip - I hadn't had that in a while. The night wore on, and I was beginning to get a little tired. It took quite a bit of work to keep a spell going for so long. People were starting to file out, and head home. Ritike gently took my hand and led me out, dropping me off at my house. Lucie was to stay with me tonight.

I walked into my home and rubbed my eyes open. Inside, Cami was purring softly. She caught eye of Lucie and pounced up into her arms.

"Easy, Cami!" Lucie cooed, and pet her softly. Cami absolutely adored the extra attention.

I jumped onto the couch and lay there in silence, until a loud horn put me out of my stupor. It was the horn that signaled bedtime, as it was my cue to release the spell that kept us safe. I slowly released my spell, inside my mind, gently releasing each strand that held a barrier. The second I let go of the last one, my mind completely cleared, but I still slumped down on the couch, my mental state ruined by the constant reminders of _her_ throughout the day.

Lucie sat down next to me, Cami still on her lap, and gave me a warm hug. Her eyes had become warm, but sad too. I wrapped my arms around her, releasing yet another barrier- The barrier of fear and privacy that I had kept around me for so long. I buried my face in her hair, willing the tears not to come.

Lucie was already crying, silent tears flowing down her petite face. "Dang, how in the world did the mood change so fast?" she asked, laughing a bit, and wiping her tears.

I shook my head at her. "Really, I'm fine. Just super tired from the spell and all. Let's head up to bed, shall we?"

She nodded, put Cami down, and we both went upstairs, eager to get away from sadness. Lucie was to sleep in the guest room, down the hall from mine. Really, it was her room, as other guests usually picked the slightly fancier guest suite.

"Good night, Lucie."

"Good night, Song."

She gave me a hug, left me to my room, and skipped off. I went inside my empty room, dove under the covers, and fell asleep, almost instantly.

 **A/N Thanks for reading! The next chapter will be up sometime this week. If you're on Mineplex forums, friend me as SpiritOfTheIce! Can't wait to see you all! Love you!  
-Kiwi**


	6. Chapter 3

**A/N Hello everyone! I am so sorry for not uploading. I was so intent on getting another chappie done before uploading a new one, and I finally did it. I am so sorry, again! Without further ado, please enjoy! I apologize if it's a bit short. This is sort of what leads up to the bigger stuff.**

Chapter Three: Must You Go?

For the next few days, Lucie and I hung out with each other, and it was very relaxing. It was great to have someone like Lucie around, but it was nearly time for her to go. Conor's job in the Watch Guild would be in danger if he stayed for much longer, plus, Lucie was beginning to miss the pets at her center.

"Oh, Song, did I tell you about Freddie's tendency to always nibble his carrots in a specific pattern?" Lucie asked. Freddie was a bunny. And yes, I had heard this story multiple times. I gave her a look that said, "Yes. Yes you did." and Lucie just laughed.

"Well, either way, you'll see them when you come for the wedding. Though I don't know when that'll happen. Anyways, I'm going to go, well, you know. I'll see you at lunch?" she asked.

I knew exactly where she was going. To _her_ grave. I'd been meaning to go with her, but I couldn't handle it. It was way too much.

"Song...Are you sure you don't want to come? I promise, we'll do this together."

I just shook my head, waved goodbye, and watched Lucie walk away. I looked all around me, trying to find something to do. There were so many possibilities, but all I wanted to do was go home. As I began to walk, I broke into a run, not willing to stop as villagers called out my name. I just rammed into the house, jumped on the couch, and flicked my hand. The door automatically closed.

Something felt like it was engulfing me. I feebly tried to fight against it, but it retaliated harder. I couldn't breathe, and I was panicking now. Finally I broke out, but the weakness remained. This had not happened since _her_ death. But it was too much to bear.

I wept, my sobs becoming louder and louder. At one point, I heard a knock, most likely a guard or something, worried for me. I didn't do anything about that. I cried until I was all cried out. Tear marks were all over the sofa, something I would have to clean up later. What I also didn't notice was that Cami had jumped up to me, and I was now stroking her beautiful pelt.

It was later in the day, and Lucie would've gotten back by now. But I couldn't bring myself to meet her, even if she was leaving the next day. Not when I was this fragile.

Cami, though she was amazing, had to eat too. I prepared a dinner that was a little better, rather than the prepackaged ones I got from the Pet Center. The prepackaged ones were great, especially since Cami had been a taste tester for many variants. This time, I was combining her favorites - Salmon, and Roasted Chicken. Salmon was extremely rare. It was brought down from much further north. Usually, on Cami's birthday, she got a very small chunk. Today, I just put in a few nibbles, enough to give it a salmon flavor. The rest was roasted chicken, and a bit of other meats. Cami was roaming around the living room, and coming into the kitchen, eager for her meal. Though the meal was slightly burned, it still smelled of salmon. I put it down, and Cami immediately got to work, wolfing down her meal.

Preparing Cami's meal had taken my mind of things, so I decided to wash up, and then find more things to distract me.

The shower washed off all traces of my previous sorrow. Perhaps I had cried more, but the shower's warm droplets trickled down. I screamed in there. Loud and clear. I screamed about the unfairness of it all. It should have been me. She was so perfect, and she deserved to go home. Deserved to see the light again, instead of the darkness she'd died in. The water grew cold, but I didn't stop. Time was inexistent.

I think I slept in the shower, as if it was rain pouring down. It was quite relaxing. My throat was raw from screaming, but it was necessary. The water kept coming, freezing cold now. I drifted off, not willing myself to stand. The world faded to black.

The light seemed too bright. If I was dead, I'd welcome it. But it didn't seem like that. I was perfectly alive, and someone was banging on the door.

"GET. OUT. HERE." A feminine voice screamed.

Bleh. I felt terrible. But whatever, I couldn't evade this forever. I threw on a bathrobe conveniently located next to the shower. The floor was completely drenched by my full night party. That would be a beast to clean up later. I opened the door and a rush of water drenched the carpet.

Lucie was standing in front of me, tears flowing down her face. "Song! Are you okay? I was so scared! Don't you EVER do that again!" She wrapped me up in a bear hug, not caring that she was absorbing the water from my sopping wet bathrobe. I broke apart again, crying loudly, exposing my real self for the first time in ages to somebody else.

"Goodbye, Lucie," I whispered, and I ran to my room. I could hear her banging on my door, but I would not let her see me. The last time I had let somebody in, they were torn from me. I would not make the same mistake again.

 **A/N REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PLEAAAAAAAASE?** ***puppy eyes***

 **See ya real soon,**

 **Kiwi**


	7. Chapter 4

**A/N Hello, hello. I'm back! Sorry for the wait. I'm so excited for this story. Please read! Things will get interesting very soon, I promise. Actually...This chapter will be** ** _very_** **interesting. Hehe!**

Chapter Four - The Retreat

When Lucie left later that week, I gave her a meek hug and walked away. She looked as though she wanted to say more, but I wouldn't let her. Her safety was already at risk. Besides, I was planning a vacation of some sort. Somewhere far away, where I could be alone. Ritike had suggested it, and I had no choice but to say yes. She obviously cared about me.

My life was a train wreck, as I was completely aware. There was no denying it. But everyone wanted me to heal, and so I would at least have to put on a show, and do what they wanted.

Normally, the highest Guard Guildmen would be tasked with transporting me. But I had asked to go alone. I wanted to recreate my first time landing here, oh so long ago. This time, I would have emergency diamond gear, but I would attempt to do this solo Every recipe, every tool would have to be used.

I waved goodbye to my village, my home, as I floated off into the distance. It was sunset, and I'd continue to fly until the break of dawn. The Map Guild had provided me with a prime location. I had requested a forest of some type, and as I neared my destination, the forest loomed before me. I had promised myself I wouldn't cry. Never.

I fell at the break of dawn, looking down at my landing spot. It was beautiful. The sun's rays reflected across the land, and I had a bit of homesickness at the sight. Not just for the village, but for the Aether.

I had only a day before the monsters came, and it was my goal to refrain from magic as much as possible. I punched trees, made tools, and even got a chestplate of leather. I wasn't lucky enough with the sheep though. Only one measly piece of wool. I hunkered down into a small wooden house I had made, ready to wait the night. I was unfortunate enough that a storm began.

Of all nights, this was the one night that this would happen to me. He knew. Herobrine had to know. There was no other way. He had been watching me, this whole time. Water soaked me, but I looked around, alert for the slightest movement.

I focused on my ragged breaths, trying to control myself. The endermen would not show up. They would not hurt anyone I loved. They would not win tonight. Instead of a purple aura in the sky, I saw an orange, bright one. The water turned to fire, burning me. My meager wooden house burned to the ground. The fire did not hurt me, but the trees around me fell, the fire choking the air. I hoped with all my might that this would not be happening to my home. Ritike, Lucie, Cami...They were fine. I would have received a panic signal if otherwise.

I stood on the ground, watching the wildlife around me die. There were no hostile mobs, at least. As long as I wasn't hurt, and nobody around me was hurt, I was fine. I would dig down, and try to get away from this smoky mess. The fire was beginning to pool into large ponds of lava. If I had been a regular visitor of the Overworld, I would have died by now. And if my suspicions were correct, this was no ordinary fire. It was magical, perhaps infused with Ender, life-sucking magic. I gasped, as I came to the realization. I could feel my strength wisping out, floating back up into the sky. I jumped into a pool of water, which was quickly evaporating, and dug downwards as quickly as I could.

Panting, I sat down in the little hole I had made. "Crap." I mumbled, to myself. How had Herobrine known? There was no way that fire had been natural. I hadn't thought of Herobrine in years - literally. For now, I enjoyed myself as the last bits of water dripped down, doomed to evaporate. It looked like survival would be much more difficult than what I had originally thought.

Tired and lonely, and laid my burnt hair onto the cool dirt. I may have been invincible to fire, but my hair sure wasn't. Luckily, I could rest without a bed, but the beds had some sort of complex magic involved, and it repelled monsters. I closed my eyes, and fell asleep, hoping for better tomorrow. I would not go home so quickly

 _In the morning_

I woke up, and tried to stretch out. I failed miserably, and shrieked when my hands touched the dirt and stone around me. I then realized where I was. Sighing, I dug a bigger hole, and stretched my weary arms.

In order to survive, I had to get moving. I had enough food and tools to last me a bit, and though I didn't want to use them, I knew I had to if I wanted to get past today. I would start over after I explored my underground surroundings. Based on the Map Guild's observations, I would have landed near a ravine.

So I dug, and dug, and dug. I strategically went in different directions, coming back to my little hidey hole that I had made a bit of a base of. I had no luck yet in the ravine department, but I had amassed a chestplate of iron.

It took me two more nights until I finally heard a zombie moan. Excited, I mined quickly towards the source of the sound. After a few minutes, I broke out, and nearly fell into the ravine in my joy. There was plenty of visible iron, and I was sure to find surface diamonds this deep.

But then, something caught my eye. There was a furnace down there. This, I knew, was impossible. I had asked the Map Guild specifically for a different location than my original touchdown spot. Either way, it couldn't have been my furnace, because it was lit.

Now I was deathly silent. I could see torches down there, but they weren't placed in opportune spots. This already told me that whoever, or whatever was down there, it was probably a noob.

It also couldn't be a villager. No blacksmith was capable of mining down to a level like this one, so it had to be someone like me. Or like... _her._

I shook my head to get rid of the thought. I would have to stay focused, just in case this was an elaborate plot twist by the horrible Herobrine. He had already messed up my life enough. But Herobrine was known for being destructive and upfront. From what I had witnessed on that fateful day, Dracise was the only planner in that duo.

Before long, I was at the bottom. From my vantage point, I could see someone hunched over the furnace. He was smelting iron. The boy had some leather boots, but nothing more. His brown hair glinted red in the light, and he was wearing a pair of ripped up jeans, and a green shirt stained with blood.

I crept up on him, but in my curiosity, slipped on a stray piece of gravel. The boy turned back in fear, and I took a good look at his face. It was young, but maturing. He did not have the cut jaw of a grown man, but I could tell that he was not a little boy. His cheek was scratched up and bleeding, and his pale green eyes surveyed the room.

I had seen much worse injuries than what he had, especially before the hospital had been built. Nevertheless, I felt sorry for the boy. He was sweating hard, and he was wielding a stone sword that looked on the verge of breaking.

I had three choices now. I could slink back and pretend like I'd never seen him, which to me, was out of the question. I could attack him, or, I could get to know him. Fear stabbed my heart as I thought about the third option, but I knew what was right. Taking a deep breath, I made my choice.

 **A/N I told you! I told you! I am so excited now! I love this new character. I'll have to leave you guys with that bit of a cliffy. Thank you so much to my faithful reviewer, .dawnstar. You make my day! I absolutely adore your reviews! For the rest of you lot, please, please, Rate, Review, and Follow (Or Favorite, if you dare)! This may be a bit late, but Happy Halloween.**

See ya real soon!

Kiwi


	8. Chapter 5

**A/N I'm back! I'm back! I'm back after a day! Are you proud of me, my little viewers? Needless to say, chappies will be getting much more interesting from this point on. This story has a romance genre for a reason. -eep!- Can't tell you all anymore! You'll just have to read to see!**

Chapter 5 - Someone New

I stepped out into the light, and the boy gasped. He wielded his sword in what he probably thought was a menacing manner.

"W-Who are you?" he asked.

I crossed my arms, and looked at him again. "The name's Song. You?"

He looked down, and only then did I notice the equally beat up dog behind him. "I'm Jonathan. This here is Aven, my dog."

The dog was hunched behind Jonathan growling, though I could see the fear behind its eyes. "Well, you seem quite beat up. What happened?"

"T-there was a fire. I d-don't know if you saw it?" I nodded my head and he continued to speak. "I had Aven with me at the t-time. We had to escape. I came down here as a r-refuge. We weren't prepared. Honestly, I don't know anything about this f-forsaken place."

"This 'forsaken' place is my home, okay? Don't go around dissing it. And I won't hurt you, since you don't seem to be a traitor." He nodded vigorously. "Anyways, stop stuttering. Being nervous won't help you here." He nodded again, and cleared his throat.

"Well, at least you've got this place lit up. But we'll have to make a base. There's no time to talk now. There's no point making a base up at the surface, so we'll settle for one here." I started to dig and let the boy follow my lead. Before long, we had a decent area carved out high up the ravine. I closed it off and lit it up, and then sat down, famished.

So I took a carrot out and munched it up, along with a melon. The meat I would save for emergencies. The boy looked at me with a hungry glance. "What is it, Jonathan? Don't you have any food?" He shook his head, so I tossed him a loaf of bread. While he was eating, I took the opportunity to look at him some more.

His hair was ruffled up, and his shirt was now not only stuck to him with blood, but sweat too. We had moved his furnace and crafting table up, and I had supplied him with some armor. He had taken it off and put it in the chests for now, because we were safe. I had taken off my armor as well, and was now laying on the cool floor. I had my wool propped up as a pillow, and cut in half for the both of us.

In my head, I was going over questions to ask him. On the outside, I was calm and collected. Honestly, I was acting like this happened every day. Wrong. I was surprised, even scared. I had thought that this was impossible. Apparently, it wasn't.

The dog was curled up in a corner of the room, sleeping. Jonathan was looking up at the ceiling, lost in his own thoughts. Everything was silent except the slow cackle of the furnace.

"So…" I started. He looked at me expectantly. "You sure you don't want any healing potion on those wounds?" I asked him.

"No, it's fine. You've already done so much for me."

In the darkness, I blushed just a hint. Really, for me, it was nothing to give him what I had. I cleared my throat and started again. "Well, why don't we start at your beginning? Who are you, and how did you get here?"

He looked straight at me with those pale green eyes and I waited patiently. "Well, I don't know much. I came in here only knowing the most basic things. I just spawned."

"Hold up. You can't remember anything about what happened before you spawned?"

He shook his head and I let out a sigh of disappointment.

"Anyways, I'm not sure how, but I quickly found how to craft certain things. I knew what everything was, and it was kinda a guess on how to make them. But I wasn't ready for night. That first night, it was terrible. First the mobs, and then the storm." He choked up then, probably in terror of what he had seen. I let him continue. "I met Aven the day before the storm. I'm so grateful to have him."

I felt a pang of sadness for Cami back at home, who was being cared for by Ritike. I reached out and pet the dog, who had begun to trust me. He let out a sound of content.

"Hey, do you mind if I take my shirt off? I want to wash myself off and all the zombie guts are irritating my skin."

I sputtered and nodded a meek 'sure'. I had seen countless shirtless, bleeding men. Guardsmen often got injured in the heat of battle. I was surprised that I was reluctant to let him take off his shirt, but I shook it off. It was a just a little case of him being a stranger.

Jonathan went over to the little puddle of water and took off his shirt. He took out a bucket and washed his clothes, and then cleansed himself. I took the moment to get up and start mining.

"Hey, Song, what are you doing?" Jonathan asked.

"I figure since we'll be spending quite a while in here, I might as well extend it. You'll be cleaning off zombie guts a lot. We should be able to do so in a decent bathroom."

He just nodded sheepishly and turned away. I went back to mining. The side room was much smaller, but it was perfect for washing off. I contemplated making another bedroom for Jonathan, but I figured that we should stay together in the event that we needed to make a quick getaway.

When I was finished, I took the opportunity to take my first wash since I had touched down. "Hey, Jonathan, I'm going to be taking a full wash. Don't come in, okay?" I shouted. He shouted back a yes, and I closed the door.

After completely scrubbing my body of dirt, dust, stone particles, soot, and blood, I felt wonderful. Though the tub had been a far cry from my shower at home, it was still a cleansing experience. Honestly, the tub was a hole in the ground with a simple water system.

When I walked out, I was wearing a simple pink shirt with a worn out pair of jeans. My hair was pulled back into a fishtail, my favorite hairstyle, and my shoes were clean. I walked out, and Jonathan smiled at me.

"Nice job, Song."

I blushed a bit again and pulled myself underneath the leather cover. I hadn't bothered with nightclothes. For all I knew, it was bright daytime at the surface. Besides, I wanted to begin mining right when we woke up.

For a minute, I thought about Jonathan. I was baffled at how he had managed to strike a friendship with me so quickly. And the boy had a sense of humor. But I would be on guard. There was no way I was going to allow him to see the true me, because I still remembered Herobrine's last words to me. He would not hurt Jonathan, that I knew.

I looked over at him and noticed he was trying to dry his shirt by the furnace. At my glance he said, "I don't have another shirt. I'm a newbie at this, remember?"

I nodded and sunk back into my wool. So much for having a totally calm vacation.

"Anyways, I told you about myself. What about you?" Jonathan asked.

"For the record, you didn't tell me much. There wasn't much for you to say. And I don't really want to talk about it. It's really complicated. I live about a day's flight from here."

"Flight?"

Oh man. I hadn't told him about my powers. He didn't know about my history anyways. I could bet he didn't know anything about the Aether or Nether either. "Uh, well, I'm not really from this dimension."

He looked at me, confused.

"Look, whatever I show you, you can't ask many questions, okay? I'll tell you about what I've got in due time."

He nodded.

I took a deep breath and stood up. And then I began to float a couple of centimeters off the ground. I ignored Jonathan's gasp of surprise. Then I put a hand out, and with a wave, healed his wounds instantly. I then floated back to the ground, and panted just a bit. Healing did take some excursion off of me.

Jonathan just sat there, gasping in surprise. Maybe all of this was too much for one night.

I sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't heal you earlier. I had my reasons, I promise you. Goodnight, Jonathan." I turned around, emotionally drained. I was now confused. To me, silence was much worse than anger or sadness. I lay down and turned away from Jonathan.

I heard an almost silent sigh, and then…"Goodnight, Song. I trust you."

 **A/N Aww, trust! It's usually taken for granted, but hey! Chemistry! Muahaha! We'll see how Jonathan fares in this new world, shall we? Tell me what you think of him! I had a lot of fun creating him, and Song's reactions. Now. REVIEW. REVIEW. REVIEW. Thanks again to .dawnstar for her inspiring reviews. I can see you all viewing the FanFic. Take thirty seconds to write a few words, and it'll make my day!**

See ya real soon!

Kiwi


	9. Chapter 6

**A/N My dear readers, hello again! I am very happy to be back. I've also got a bit of news. I realize that in my prologue I said that I'd be finishing this story around mid-November. I can safely say that that will not be happening.**

 **But wait, do not fear!**

 **I am continuing to write! I will not abandon this FanFiction, because, and I am not afraid to admit it, I have grown slightly attached to it. I've gotten clearance from my teacher to continue writing *cheers*, and now I'm free to be a little bit more creative in that sense. Well, that's all for the beginning of this chappie. See ya at the end!**

Chapter 6 - Wake Up and Smell the Roses

I woke up exactly 7 hours later. No matter the time I slept, over the years, I had developed a very obedient body clock. My brain woke my body up the second there was danger, and so I was always alert.

I leaned upwards and stretched. I was glad to have a decent room to sleep in, even if it was just a leather and wool bed.

Looking back, I saw that Jonathan was still asleep. I swallowed back a scream, as I wasn't used to turning back and finding a boy sleeping next to me. He was much closer than I would have wanted.

He was sleeping peacefully, and Aven was still snoring puppy snores. I silently got up and moved over to the bathroom, thankful that I had built it. I freshened up, taking off my leather flats, and replacing them with some light iron armor. I wasn't hoping to fight today, so I settled for an iron sword that wasn't enchanted. If Jonathan was to see me with an enchanted sword, he'd have more questions, and I didn't want to deal with that.

Slowly, I crawled out of the base, so that I wouldn't wake Jonathan in his slumber. I had seen a vein of iron, and I wanted to get it before I ran out of supplies. I was well stocked, but with two people, I wasn't sure how long it would last.

I quickly mined it, and headed back with my loot. I had been lucky enough to find a very small cave at the vein, and I couldn't wait to get to work. Obviously, I wasn't normally so enthusiastic to see a tiny cave. But a tiny cave was just what I needed to start training Jonathan.

I cleared my head of Jonathan and scouted the cave. It wasn't long, and there were no turns. I had left the end of the cave unlit on purpose, in order to fight. For now, it was blocked off. Everything else was very well lit, and I had some well placed ores scattered around. It was an amateur cave, but it was perfect.

When I came back, Jonathan was still fast asleep. I shrugged and cleaned off the dust clinging to my clothes. The iron was smelting, and Aven was beginning to wake at the sound of the fire. "Shh…" I whispered to the dog. He yelped a sound of agreement and moved towards me. His eyes were faced at the fire, and he looked content.

I noticed that I had not healed the little dog yet, so I wrapped him up in a towel and carried him to the restroom. I closed the door, and began to wash him gently. Healing him would take up some of my energy, and I wanted to save that for last. The poor puppy had blood stains all over him, and though he was scared of the warm water at first, he soon was splashing around.

The water was soon murky, and he was sparkling clean. I mentally patted myself on the back and rubbed Aven with a towel. He playfully nudged me, and I gave him a good rub.

When I walked outside, Jonathan was still sleeping. I was, in a sense, weirded out. When you had work to do, you never slept in like this. I contemplated the best way to wake him up. Shake him? Pour water on him? Scream at him? I decided to get Aven to paw his face while I told him to wake up.

It took us a good two minutes of, "Jonathan. Wake up. Wake. Up." to rouse him. And when he did, he mumbled something about getting five minutes more. When I had had enough, I shook him. And when that didn't work, well, I had no choice but to use the water bucket.

He was up in a bang, sputtering and muttering obscenities. "Song! Darn! Why'd you do that?"

I was a bit confused too. Was that too much? Should I have held back? After all, I had just met him. Yet here we were, acting as we had been friends and mining partners for years.

I smirked at him and said, "Well, you weren't waking up. I've been up for quite a while. I've mined a full vein of iron and cleaned up Aven, mess as he was. What have you been doing?"

He smiled at me and laughed a bit. "Aren't you something? Alright, I'll get freshened up and I'll be right there."

Man, he had transformed from little stuttering boy to sarcastic friend in less than a full day. I shook my head and fitted Aven with a better collar, one with more enchantments, such as an increased teleporting range and such. It would help us keep him close.

When Jonathan came out of the bathroom, I was sitting cross-legged and marking a handmade map. I was sure we would find a mineshaft nearby, and I already knew there was a network of caves surrounding the ravine.

I noticed his arrival and called, "Hey, you any good with a sword?"

He grinned and made a mock fighter pose. "Well, duh! I'm a fierce warrior!"

"Oh yeah?" I tossed him a sword. "I'm a zombie. Fight me. I've got no weapons."

"Song, I can't fight you!"

"Why? I can heal myself and you know that."

"But...But...You're a girl!"

I frowned. "Give me all you got. Don't hold it back. I won't hurt you. Much."

He looked uneasy and took a few strides towards me. I assumed a fighting stance. He pushed forward his sword, but he was very slow. I grabbed his elbow and flipped him over, sending him sprawling across the room. "Still think girls can't fight, huh?"

Jonathan looked at me in awe and a bit of pain. "Ugh, this hurts!"

I just grinned. "In a real fight, nobody would be there to heal you. You sit there and try to recover for a while, and then I'll heal you. In the meantime, I'll be mining."

"No, Song, I have to help you. You did the whole bathroom by yourself." I watched him try to stand, but I had knocked the wind out of him.

"Chill. It'll be done in a jiffy. I just want to make a storage room and start on a kitchen."

He shook his head and leaned back down. I had hit him a bit harder than I had anticipated. I wasn't sure why. Maybe so that I wouldn't get too close to him. If I didn't hurry on the mining, he would start to bruise.

I started out slow, but eventually sped up the mining process. Little by little, chunk by chunk, I carved out a storage room. I wanted to decorate it just a bit, so I added a few planks of wood here and there, and then spared a bit more for signs. We didn't have many valuables yet, but I was sure that we would have then eventually.

I continued to carve out the room to exact dimensions, keeping holes where the chests would be. It wasn't my first time making a storage room, anyways. I finished quickly, and when I looked over my shoulder, Jonathan was watching me in the doorway, his hair swept over his forehead. I blushed a deep red and asked, "What are you doing? Weren't you supposed to be resting?"

He grinned. "Just wanted to watch."

"Oh, so you didn't want to help, huh?" I teased. Where had that come from?

Jonathan just let out a hearty laugh and walked inside. The floor was cool and the room plain, but it would do. He brushed his long, nimble fingers across the walls, and I watched him quietly. His eyes surveyed the room, and landed on me. For a fleeting moment, our eyes met, and we were completely silent. Man, it was awesome, but then I thought of the consequences that could arise. I felt tears prick my eyes, but I knew I could not let them fall.

I walked out of the room, leaving a confused Jonathan behind me, as I sat down in the bathroom and cried quietly, mourning her death once again.

 **A/N Muahaha! Slight cliffy! You all may not know who 'she' is, but I assure you, it won't be too long now. I do want to get into that back story. Please, please, review. Thanks again to .dawnstar. I swear, you're like fuel to a writing flame. To those of you that are reading, please take twenty seconds just to write something for me. It can even be an emoji. You know what, just put in your favorite emoji or other kawaii face. Okay? If you end up doing so, I'll give you a shoutout. I know you guys are out there, and you're reading. REVIEW!**

See ya real soon,

Kiwi


	10. Chapter 7

**A/N S'up, fam! Hello, hello! I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. But here's to (hopefully) making your Monday better! Wednesday's off...Huzzah! Thanks so much to .dawnstar (3 you so much!), and Spacekitty, who is a new reviewer! *cheers* This is awesome! You're compliments seriously brighten my day. *hands slightly misshapen cupcakes* Hey, they didn't rise because I forgot the baking soda, okay? The buttercream is still really good. Anyways, you're gonna love where the story's heading. It's a romance fic for a reason!**

Chapter 7

After only a few minutes of myself wallowing in self pity, I heard a knock. "Hey, Song, can I come in?"

I peeked at my face to make sure it was composed and cleaned. "Yeah, of course! What are you waiting for?"

He walked in cautiously and came up to me slowly. Before I knew what was happening, he had me in a light hug. I didn't move for a full moment, stunned, before I opened my arms and let myself hug him back. I would allow myself this one moment.

I almost started to cry again at his kind gesture, but I would not let myself break that barrier too. His warmth enveloped me, and I wanted to stay like that forever. It was so cliche, and worrying. I knew it was probably just an act of being grateful to someone who was kind, though, so I was the one who broke the hug.

"Really, Jonathan, I'm fine. Honestly."

He gave me a worrying look, but didn't say anything more.

"Look, do you mind if we just stay in here for today? I can go over the physics of the Overworld, if you want."

He nodded, though he didn't look too excited to be in here. "Afterwards, can I help you make a couple more rooms?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry...I didn't remember that you needed your own room...I'll mine it, it's all good."

He turned bright red. "No, no, that's not it at all! We can make another bedroom, but, erm, it would save more space if we shared."

I looked at him suspiciously. "Very well. We'll go over tools and such, and then mine. I'll show you the basics of using a sword. If we go mining, I don't want you running into a creeper and not knowing what to do." He shivered at my mention of a creeper.

He went out of the bathroom, and I followed. I walked on over to my bag, and took out every single type of ore, and laid them out. I couldn't help noticing that Jonathan was looking curiously at the diamond.

"My first ever diamond. There is no feeling like finding one. It takes a lot of work, but the make life a whole lot easier. Do you want to see it up close?"

He just nodded like a little kid at the fair. I handed it to him, and he sat there, marveling.

"Shiny, huh?" He nodded. "They're also used for cosmetics back where I was. But here, out in the wild, we'll only be using it for survival." Jonathan lay the diamond back, and I smiled.

I got up, and swung my sword a little bit. He stood up, and I put his iron sword in his hand. He looked down at it and thrust it forward a few times. I laughed, and thrust my sword again, but much more skillfully than he had.

"Song, I can't do it like that!" he whined.

I sidled up next to him and put my hand over his. I sucked in my breath, waiting for his reaction. If he was thinking something, he didn't show it. Slowly, I moved his arm back and forth, and we moved in sync. Every once in a while, he or I would say something, and we would exchange a few words. But he was getting tired, and much better.

"You wanna take a break?' I asked him.

"Really? Uh, well, if you say so. I'm totally good. Just don't want _you_ getting tired."

I smirked. "You'd think that after all this time, you would realize how new you are. I'm not tired at all. But I can tell you're sweating and panting. But, if you really aren't tired, we can do another hundred swipes."

He grinned and sat down. "Well, I think I'll pass." He took a swig of some water, and I sat down, ruffling Aven's fur.

"So…" he began.

"So…" I replied.

"What's your favorite color?" I blurted out. I felt my cheeks become red, and I muttered something about intrusion.

He grinned, and told me, "Green. Not lime green, not dark green, just green. What about you?"

I sat there, thinking for a moment. "Blue. The color of the sky on a clear day. But, I have to say, I find the rain just as beautiful."

He began to hum a tune, and all I could think about was where we were going to go from here. What the future held. I wanted this, I wanted some sort of future with him. But I wouldn't allow him to get hurt. I couldn't.

"My turn, for questions, you know. Like...Hm...Dang it, what do you ask someone who barely knows anything about himself?"

He laughed out, echoing his voice across the room. "I think I've recovered quite enough. Can we begin mining or something like that?"

"Eager, are we, Jonathan? Well, pick up your pickaxe. I could use a decent kitchen."

He did as I told, and I smiled at his momentary adjustment. A pickaxe made of iron was very heavy indeed. He raised his hand, and began chipping away at the stone. He was slow, but steady.

I made quick work of the other side, but I did slow down a little to check on Jonathan a few times. His face was scrunched up in concentration, and he was mining away. But his mining was too artistic. Instead of chiseling away the rock, he was carving it, much like an artist would do to a block of ice. "Jonathan, you need to carve into it. Those pretty strokes aren't going to help you at all."

He looked back at me, and there was something far away in his eyes. I stared at him, worry shaping my expression, and whispered his name. When he didn't answer, I shook him, and he snapped out of whatever trance he was in.

"Ack!" he yelled.

"What is _wrong_ with you? You scared the living daylight out of me!" I yelled back.

"I don't know. I think I was just tired. Nothing more." He said, but again with a far away sound in his voice.

"You're right. I wouldn't know, but I think it's getting late. I'll make sure to craft a clock tomorrow. You get to bed, and I'll finish up. Maybe I'm working you too hard."

He was asleep in an instant, and I did the kitchen. After a train of thought, I decided to add a second floor to the base. I was aware that the base was temporary, but I was already accustomed to my new home. The second floor only had a small alcove, in which I moved the beds, using my magic to ensure Jonathan didn't wake up.

But then, in his sleep, he grabbed onto my hand. I choked back my surprise, and decided to take a nap myself. I wouldn't achieve much else while he was sleeping. I looked at our now held hands, and wondered if I was doing the right thing. I fell asleep, my last thought being one of curiosity of the future.

 **A/N Hehe you like? I like! Anyways, please, please, PLEASE review. Like seriously. Please. Just 10 seconds, honestly. it may not seem like much, but it means the world to me. I appreciate every single comment. Besides, I've decided to open up some of my more Slytherin qualities (Ravenclaws unite though!). One review = One cupcake! So** **hurry up! Limited batch! Love you all ever so much!**

See ya real soon,

Kiwi


	11. Chapter 8

**A/N OMG, can it be? I'm NOT dead! Wow! Jokes aside, I'm sorry for pushing the story aside. I turned it into my teacher, though, and guess what?! I got a 300/300! Thank you all, especially the reviewers, because my reviews were part of my project. Thanks also to those who viewed from around the world - Looking at people's faces when I named the countries that have seen my fanfiction was actually amazing! I'm back, and I've got a new chappie for you!**

Chapter 8 - Support Systems

I awoke to the sounds of snoring beside me. My hand felt warm, and with a start, I realized he was still holding my hand. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. _Just a friendly form of support_ , I thought, and carefully let go. He moved a bit underneath the covers, but fell asleep again.

As a reward for his first successful day of training, and the fact that we now had a working kitchen, I prepared a breakfast with bacon, a rare treat for someone in the mines. I prefered to munch on an apple, and saved the meat for quick energy boosters. When the bacon smell was filling the base, I heard muffled footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Now, Song, what _is_ that heavenly smell? And also, why did I wake up somewhere entirely different than yesterday?"

"Well, by the sound of your voice, I take it you've never experienced bacon. You only get bacon today because of your hard work. And I want you eating plenty of fruits and veggies. I mined the alcove yesterday, and I didn't want to leave you here alone."

"Uh, how did you move me? No offense, but I weigh more than you."

I blushed, the very thought of what he probably thought I did filling my mind. "I, uh, magicked you up."

His smile was wiped off his face when he realized that I had used my magic on him.

"I swear, I didn't hurt you. Really, truly. No funny business."

"Chill, Song! I know you didn't! It's just weird, you know, living with someone who has magical powers."

I groaned. He saw me as a freak.

He came up to me and wrapped me in a bear hug. "You're perfect, just the way you are."

I blushed a deep tomato red, and allowed him to hug me. He was obviously using some sort of plant based cologne, which was weird, because he hadn't been using it before. I noticed his hair was a tragic case of bedhead, but he had it combed, to the best of his abilities. I stifled a giggle, staring up at his hair.

He released the hug, and asked, "What? What is it? Do I have something on my face?"

I was fully giggling now, and pointed at his hair, covering my face. It was his turn to turn deep red now. He started sputtering and threaded his fingers through his hair, in a desperate attempt to tame it.

I laughed a genuine laugh again. "How do you do it, Jonathan? I was sober thirty seconds ago, and now look at me. Giggling like the idiot I am."

He was laughing now too. "Quite the charmer, aren't I?'

I smirked. "Modest, too."

"So, I've got a lesson plan for today. Do you want to go over it now?"

He groaned. "Aww. I was enjoying the bacon!" His words seemed true, as he was wolfing down the bacon. Men sometimes.

I rolled out a large piece of parchment with a checklist. I had made it using magic, but he didn't need to know that. My original plan of no magic was beginning to fade, and surprisingly, I was okay with that. Jonathan was bringing a new, stronger side of me out.

"We're going to mine to a little cave nearby. Suit up completely, and we'll be off.'

"A c-cave? With real m-monsters? As in, ones that could hurt me?"

"Oh, you'll be fine. You'll r-respawn." I said this with as much confidence as I could, but I had gone deathly pale. My hands were shaking, and I could already tell that my knees were wobbling.

"Song? Song! Are you okay? Do you want to lie down? What's wrong?"

I cursed myself for being so weak just at the mention of respawning. "N-no. Just...Just go to the storage room and go to the potions. G-get me a potion of strength. It's the r-red one."

I sat down and took deep gulps of breath. I was having another one of my panic attacks. I had never gotten them back in the Aether. But here I was, my pupils dilated and my heart pounding madly. I was sweating buckets, and I was amazed at the quick turn of events. It just went to show how fragile my grieving mind still was.

Jonathan ran back into the room, and I grasped the stopper easily. I was scared of dropping it, but I had done this many times before. I let out a small sigh of relief, and waited for the drug-like substance to slip down my throat. Closing my eyes, I sunk down in my seat in content.

When I opened my eyes one or two minutes later, Jonathan was in front of me, and he looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"What...What...What the bloody _h*ll_ was that? You freaking scared me, so bad!"

I shuddered. "I'm sorry."

"You could have at least _mentioned_ the fact that you suffer from _panic attacks_!"

I cringed. "I'm really sorry. I didn't think it was a big deal. And, um, I didn't think it mattered."

"Of course it matters! I thought that you were dying, or sick! I was downright terrified!" Don't you ever do that to me. Ever."

"Aww, Jonathan, do you care for me?"

He took a deep breath and clenched his teeth. "Of course I do." He then walked away, only glancing at mean a few times in a protective manner.

I gaped like a fish and sat down again. I took another deep swig of my strength potion. It wasn't good for me to take in large doses, and would make me weak, but I could care less. I needed it.

 **A/N Sorry it's a bit short. I promise the upcoming chapters will be a bit more entertaining, but I actually really liked how this is going. So. REVIEW. REVIEW. REVIEW! Give me a Christmas present, and REVIEW! Thanks to everyone who's still here! I love you guys!**


	12. Chapter 9

**A/N Hey, readers, I am BACK! Thanks for being patient, I so wanted to post, but was away on personal business. I am working on making the chapters longer, and you should see that happen next chapter if all goes well. Anyways, we have a new reviewer/follower! Thanks and welcome to DarkWolf113 for joining me! And also another HUGE thanks to .dawnstar as well! Enjoy!**

Chapter 9 - Of Course

I woke up a few minutes later, the drug causing me to wake from a small, induced sleep. I noticed that Jonathan was poking one of the furnaces, slowly cooking a piece of chicken.

He looked at me with tired eyes, and I could see his glistening eyes.

"Awake now, aren't you?" he said, not even glancing in my direction.

"The potion makes me sleep for a few minutes. To calm my nerves." I replied in an even, monotone voice.

"Yeah. Okay."

"Do you want to talk?"

"No."

"Please?"

" _No._ "

"Jonathan, don't do this to me. You can't..You don't..You don't know why this happens, anyways."

"THEN TELL ME!" he shrieked, startling me. His wrung his hands out, and then leaned onto the table, shaking back and forth. "Look! You were telling me what we were going to do today, and all of a sudden you started to go crazy! Then you chill, and I find you knocked out! What do you expect me to DO? Why are you torturing me like this? Why am...Why am I torturing myself like this?"

He had said the last part underneath his breath, and I willed myself to stop shaking yet again. Images were flooding past my eyes. Of the times we had spent together, of our confessions, of our day to day life. Of her death. How I had loved her, my best friend, so dearly, because she was the most beautiful thing to grace this entire world. But she was gone. And though my heart still lay with her, it was beginning to love _him_ in an entirely different way. A love I had never, ever experienced. It scared me, to the depths of my soul.

"Please don't, Jonathan. Please don't be like this."

He softened, and I looked up at him with hopeful eyes. He let go of his iron grip on the table, and ran towards me. He scooped me up in a hug, and I looked up at him. At that one moment, I wanted nothing but for his lips to grace mine, and I could see that he wanted it too. But I was a coward, and I wasn't ready. I leaned my head against his chest, and listened to the rhythmic beating of his heart. It was steady, and I grasped onto it, clinging desperately to the normality, to the stability of it. My entire world had been rocked like a boat during a thunderstorm more times than I could count.

"You won't run away, this time, will you, Song?"

"No."

"You promise?"

I hesitated, and I saw his green eyes looking down at me. My heart melted, and I whispered, "Yes."

We stood there in silence, and I experienced a great sense of gratitude that the silence was a comfortable one. I must've fallen asleep again, and I woke up some time later, tucked into the sheets. When I got up, Jonathan was watching me, and I immediately got up, embarrassed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep! Oh, we've missed so much training!"

He was laughing, and I stopped talking almost immediately. "You're so cute when you're rambling."

I blushed, but this time, only a pale shade of pink. Apparently we were, well, a thing. But I wouldn't be scared. I couldn't. We had something going, and we had something real. I pushed away my fear, and did my best to replace it with compassion and determination. Who was I to listen to some crazy psycho that said some parting words years ago? I was older, and wiser. Nevertheless, his seeds of doubt, when watered by _her_ death, had blossomed into a frightening sense of absolute terror, of love in all its forms. I desperately did not want to fall for his curse, but I had tripped, and was now caterwauling into a deep abyss. But still I lived in fear. But my steps towards to new light. Bleh. I was sounding cliche.

I took a deep breath, and sucked in the chilled air around us. I leaned forward and gave Jonathan a soft, chaste kiss on the cheek. It was a bit awkward, but the results were tremendous. He seemed to get pale and then blush all at once. He let out a soft whisper of happiness.

"You're okay with this?"

"If you're okay with everything. The magic, my history, everything."

"Of course."

"Of course."

He gave me a grin, and said, "What do you say we just hang out here for a little bit?"

"I say we go this for the whole day."

He gave out a fake gasp, and joked, "Since when has Miss Professor given me a day off?"

"Since Miss Professor fell head over heels with Mister Student."

"Isn't that wrong?"

"Fine. Mister. Just Mister. I can't come up with anything." I balled up my fists. "Dang it."

"Outwitted the pretty Overworld princess, haven't I?"

His words put a pang of longing through my heart. I wasn't an Overworld princess, I was an Aether princess. And in my people's time of need, we had failed them. "No, Jonathan, don't say that, please."

"Overworld princess? Well, okay. Whatever you want, Miss." He gave me a kind hearted smile, and I felt myself warm again. I scooted over and let him wrap me up in a hug, the blanket covering us both.

"Jonathan, how did we do this so quickly? It's been less than a week, and we've gone from being strangers, to friends, to, um, you know."

He sat in the shadows, his brow furrowed deep in thought. "I honestly don't think that I could have separated myself from you for much longer. I just couldn't Maybe it was meant to be."

I nodded, but inside I was still confused. Even with _her_ , it had taken months for me, I had been so shaken after my mother's death.

We sat again in silence, only punctuated by the sounds of our breathing. I felt as if I could stay like this forever, until a loud barking sound from downstairs shattered the silence like it was glass.

Jonathan muttered an expletive underneath his breath, and got up, covering the blanket on top of me as if it was a cloak. He went downstairs, and after approximately thirty seconds, I joined him.

He was holding a very rambunctious Aven, who I now noticed was holding a chicken leg and nuzzling Jonathan at the same time. Jonathan was murmuring some soothing words to him, and he caught my eye and winked. Aven, however, was still very active, and didn't seem to want to sleep at all. He motioned for me to come nearer, and I complied.

He passed Aven over to me, and I took the dog and patted him quietly. I cradled him much like I would Cami, and when he fell quiet, I laid him to rest.

"How do you know all this stuff?" Jonathan asked me, his eyes incredulous at the fact that I had calmed Aven so quickly.

I paused for a moment before beginning. "I've got a cat back at home. Her name's Camille, but we call her Cami. She's a diva, but she's the closest thing I've got to family. She is, really, my family." Jonathan was listening quietly, so I continued, "She's a tortoiseshell kitty. Her favorite food is salmon. I wanted to get her some, because it's very rare back where I live."

"Salmon? Is that a fish?"

"Yeah, duh! Don't tell me you haven't seen fish before."

"I did, I did!" he raised his hands up in surrender. "I tried catching them when I was hungry, but it didn't work."

"Silly! You need a fishing rod! And...Come over here, please?" He slowly walked over, and I quietly traced his jawline. Then I jerked my hand back and said, "I changed my mind. I want to train."

He groaned. "Damm*t, Song."

I pulled him over to another room. "Fifty sit-ups, go!" He began, and I cheered for him. Except my cheering was more of a mock. "Aven after a sugar rush could work faster than you!"

"Aven can't do sit-ups!" he panted.

"Oh yeah? Aven, sit up!" Aven began to lay down, and immediately jump back up. He did about 10 of these, before yipping happily and running laps around me.

"What have you done to my naughty dog?"

"You sleep a lot, you know. Like a rock."

"Hmph. That's because we sleep on rocks."

"You ungrateful git, that bed is just fine!" I teased back, punching him playfully. He growled, and went into a tiger position. He started to pretend-stalk me, and I giggled. "You suck at sneaking around."

He pounced, and we went to the floor. I grinned, and he pulled my head to his chest. I made a few feeble attempts to escape, but really, I wanted his arms to wrap me up, and hold me tight. How had I not noticed his already muscular arms? His tight chest, and his wavy hair? How had I ever seen him as a weakling? He was strong, and though he may not of had magic like I did, he was magical. I leaped on top, and we tumbled over and over, until I was laughing so hard I was almost crying. I was happier than I had been in such a long time, and we were both on the floor, and guffawing. He hugged me again, and we lay on the cool floor, his sweating hair dripping down.

"Do you trust me?" I asked.

He quieted down and whispered, "Of course."

I raised a palm and Jonathan closed his eyes shut. In one moment, his hair was dry and back to its beautiful texture.

"Thanks, Song."

"Now! More training! Seventy-five push-ups! Go!"

"Noooo!"

 **A/N Remember, chappies are going to get longer, and therefore I might update a bit later. Though please tell me if you prefer short chapters and quick updates or long chapters and sparse updates. And do you like their little slogan? Tell me if you caught it. AND REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

See ya real soon,

Kiwi


	13. Chapter 10

**A/N Oh... crud. It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, then. I'm glad to be back, hopefully I'll publish sooner than later! Thank you if you're reading this, I know it's been a while. Thanks to .Dawnstar yet again!**

Chapter 10 - Whoa.

"Fine. You can finish your exercises."

"Yeah!" he wrapped me up in a big bearhug, which I playfully tried squirming out of. "Dang it, Jonathan, now I have to take a shower!" I gave him a growl, and he smirked back.

"I'll take one with you, if you want!"

"You perv!" I threw a towel at him, and sashayed off into the bathroom.

"Are you sure?" he called out, right as I was about enter the door. I grinned and slammed the door. I took a quick shower and came out, dressed in a mint green crew neck top, and denim ripped shorts then went down to mid thigh, I was a bit weirded out by the fact that I was showing a decent amount of skin, but I brushed off my fears and walked out. Jonathan was waiting outside, and he whistled when I came out. I blushed, and sat down in a chair.

"Aren't you gonna take a shower?"

"I...Um...Uh...No."

I wrinkled my nose in slight disgust. "But you're sweaty! And gross!" He was turned away from em, and I came up to him. "Do you not have any other clothes?"

He nodded sheepishly.

"Never fear, Song is here!" I cheered, and ran over to my bag. I look out a red shirt, and simple jeans. With a flick of my arm, I added some more 'boyish' touches to the clothes, and enlarged them.

Jonathan, still blushing, went inside the bathroom. I heard the shower come on, and I practiced a few simple tricks with Aven, who was also a bit tired. When Jonathan walked out, I nearly dropped my jaw in awe. He was _hot_. Like, really, really hot.

He smirked again. "Finally taking note of my breathtaking features, are you now?"

I attempted to give a response, but all that came out were stammers. I hadn't acted this dumb since I had been back in the Aether.

"I'm taking that as a yes. That good, huh?

He was positively breathtaking. I should have given him that shirt ages ago. Dang my hormones.

I cleared my throat, and as calmly as I could, said, "Did the modifications work out okay?"

"Perfect. This suits me."

"It definitely does," I muttered, making sure he couldn't hear. Aven served as the perfect distraction, and I turned my back towards Jonathan. Trying to regain some of my lost dignity, I said, "Well, you definitely smell better than you previously did, so that's a major plus."

"Since when have you taken note of my scent?" he sauntered.

"Since you started to smell, numbskull," I shot back.

"Touche, Professor."

"You know, instead of arguing, we could be making out."

"W-What?!" I sputtered. He had not just said what I thought he said.

"Oh, well. Better wait until you stop ogling at me."

"I am not ogling! And because of your attitude, you can do some more strategy practices! Good grief.." I needed something to distract me, and fact. "Well, you know, I think you're ready!"

"Care to tell me what I'm ready for?"

"Well, we've been in this hidey hole for over, I think, two weeks. I would assume it's time for us to get out and get some fresh air."

"We're m-mining?" I saw a bit of the old fear in his eyes, but he had grown with some care. It looked like he had been abused before, by whomever had cared for him. I could hardly imagine someone hurting a child, but with only a couple of weeks of TLC he had matured beyond possibility.

"Yeah, yeah, we're mining. Suit up. And try not to get that shirt too dirty." I walked into the storage room, and opened up a chest I had especially for the gear. I handed him an iron sword, took out a diamond one for myself. Both of us suited up with iron gear, both chestplates enchanted with Protection I. "It's not going to be very hard. I set it up. But, there will be real mobs, so be careful. I don't want any deaths, not since the respawn system...Stopped working." I pressed a button on one of the walls, and a small 2 block high passage opened. I leaned down, and walked through. When Jonathan came through, the passage closed, succumbing us to the darkness, pushed away only by the dim lighting of the sparse torches. "It's not that far, now." Just after I said that, the passage opened up, only a few blocks lit.

Jonathan was holding his sword in front of him defensively, gripping the sword so tightly his hand was slightly pale. "Where are they?"

"If you mean the mobs, they'll come in a few minutes. But I'm not waiting for that, we'll hunt them out. And chill, your armor is more than enough to keep you safe. Plus, I've got regeneration potions and healing potions. You won't lose more than one or two health hearts, not if I have anything to say about it."

Then, a groan rung out through the small cave, followed by a second one. "A zombie," I hissed, "I'll take this one, and you take the one after it." The first zombie came into the light, it's skin green and rotting. I saw guts flowing freely out of its stomach, the rotten stench making me sick. I lunged forward, the sword piercing the skin of the zombie. With another slash, its head fell off, falling to the floor with a thud. Then, the entire being dissipated in a cloud of white particles. I stood back, grinning, and let Jonathan go forward. He let out an almost feral scream, and then lunged forward, stabbing the zombie straight through its heart. He then followed my example, chopping off its head, and the zombie fell apart.

"Great job!" I cheered, "Let's keep going!" We continued along the cave, killing different mobs. We were both sweaty, but we came back with a good haul. Jonathan mined some iron by himself, enough for a new set of iron boots. I set down a crafting table, and let him go at it. "Go ahead, Jonathan, you can do it."

He let out a sigh, and then placed the iron strategically, each iron making a clinking sound as it was put in place. When the fourth piece of iron was put onto the crafting table, it let out a golden glow, encasing the cave in light for a moment.

"Nice job. I'm surprised you have a golden glow, since it usually refers to your aura. I've got a golden one too…" Song drifted off into thought, muttering, "She had a silver one, you know… Well, we've almost reached the end of this cave, since it's a small one. We can go back the way we came."

Jonathan seemed to have learned my occasional mumblings. He grinned at the golden glow that was fading, and stared at the shiny new boots. Slipping them into his backpack, he followed me back into the tunnel.

When we reached back into our base, Jonathan began climbing the stairs to our bedroom.

"Hey!" I called, "You can't sleep just yet. Go take a shower, and wash off my clothes! Besides, I'm showering first, you can play with Aven." I walked into the bathroom, and stripped off. I wasn't that dirty, but I wanted to relax. Filling up the tub, I scrubbed hard on my skin, and came out feeling fresh. I chose to wear an anime style green and black checkered skirt, brown knee length boots, and a white crop top with a lacy white camisole underneath. My hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, and I was happy with my look. I walked out, and Jonathan's eyes widened. While he was sooty and still wearing my red shirt, I was fabulous.

"Looks like the tables have turned, haven't they?" I twirled my ponytail around my finger, and blew him a teasing kiss.

He just sputtered, and turned a deep shade of red. He ran into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Five minutes later, he walked out. And instead of the red shirt I expected, he was _shirtless_.

"W-What are you doing?!" I yelled.

"I figured I'd need another shirt, while yours is in the washing. It began to shrink to your size in the wash, anyways. For now, I'll just sleep like this. C'mon, what are you waiting for?"

I shook my head at him, but followed him to the alcove where our bed was located. He fell right onto it, and I followed, falling asleep quickly.

"Hey...Song?" he murmured.

"Yeah?" I answered him.

"I know you're dealing with a lot. But I want you to know you can talk to me, okay?"

"Of course," I half giggled at our little slogan.

"Of course." And he fell asleep quickly, his breathing becoming patterned and rough.

I opened my eyes, staring out into the darkness, outlining his slightly boyish face. He looked like a man to me, and it was surprising that I had ever seen him as weak. But now, seeing him in a vulnerable state, I could vaguely outline the different curves and valleys that made up his face, the soft stubble spread out upon his chin, the calloused hands that were currently entwined with mine. It was right before I slept that I really thought about my life. I let myself wander over to the sweet thoughts I had of my father, and my mother. I almost never thought about her death, only of the amazing woman I knew her to be. Her hair billowing out wherever she went, soft as a summer's dream. My father, the real family man, who was still imprisoned. His strict exterior hid a man not many people saw. Not a day went by that I didn't appreciate the Aether, and the childhood I was privileged to have there.

Every other world I saw or heard about didn't seem perfect. But _she…_ _she_ didn't think so. Oh, _she_ loved every bit of her world. Apparently _she_ had been an only child, but her love for her parents was nearly unmatched. Honestly, _she_ was a beacon of light, and hope. Her spirit glowed of being a kindred spirit, and though we both had been ripped apart from our families, _she_ was strong. Her 'Earth' was a beautiful place from the pictures _she_ painted, though apparently it had been deteriorating quickly. Her greatest wish was to go back there one day. Instead, I went to sleep every night with her blood on my hands.

I curled up instinctively, and beside me, Jonathan stirred slightly. I gripped his hand, before conjuring a potion of strength. It was unfortunate, but soon after _she_ had died, I grew dependent on the drug, not much unlike human addicts.

I stayed awake for perhaps another ten minutes, until Jonathan began to shake violently. It looked as if he was having a nightmare, and it was really bad by the looks of it. At first, I thought I would let it pass, but it continued for another five minutes. I shook him awake, and he lept up, panting like a wild animal.

"Jonathan, you're fine! It was a dream, just a dream. You're fine." I soothingly told him.

He shook his head, clenching his fists. Without me having to coerce him, he began, "There was fire, so much fire. A-And this man, he was t-telling me to bring him something. A-And I did, b-but-" he shook violently, attempting to rein his emotions, "-It was you. I b-brought you to him. What do you think that was? It wasn't like a d-dream, not at all."

I furrowed my brow in thought. I had these dreams a few times, but they always displayed trivial occurrences. A good hunt, or a new birth, or such. Nothing to the magnitude Jonathan described. However, it was possible to change the future if it really was some 'vision'. "Jonathan, can you describe the man?"

"He was very simple. Dark skin, blue shirt and jeans. But his eyes...His eyes…"

"His eyes..?" I whispered, realizing where this was leading.

"His eyes were white. White as the sun on a clear day."

And my entire body went limp, memories flowing through like a river, flowing, becoming muddy from blood in my mind. Flashes of pain, of terror, of my world falling apart. _My mother..._ Her life force dying out. _Her_ , _her_ life force leaving her for the final time. My father, sending me here, the place which had become my home.

A sharp cry brought me back to my senses, and it took me a long moment to realize it was from myself. I was enveloped in warmth, strong arms gripping me tight. I felt blurry, and I mumbled an apology as best as I could. Black spots dances around, the world swinging around violently. I thought I'd vomit, but I was too weak to get up and use the restroom.

"Oh, no, no, not again," I heard, a panicked voice prodding my senses.

"Melody…" I whispered, and the rest of my senses went dark.

 **A/N Hmm? Longer than usual, hope you enjoyed! Please review, it makes my little heart pitter-patter!**

 **Lots of 3,  
Kiwi**


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